Turning things Upside down
In his 1946 essay “Patchen: Man of Anger and Light,” Henry Miller called Kenneth Patchen a “sort of sincere assassin.” That’s about right, and a haunting mix of humanism and anarchy suffuses “Don’t Look Now” at the Unknown Theater. The Beat-inflected idiom of poet-playwright Patchen’s rarely seen apocalyptic allegory may be dated, but this riveting revival feels strangely acute.
Written in 1958, “Don’t Look Now” turns Cold War panic literally on its head. As jazz musicians groove away at one side of the venue, the house lights flash ominously, and the curtain sails open to reveal a nightmare living room, furniture hanging overhead, ceiling lamp jutting up at center stage.
The stylized inhabitants realize to their consternation that all means of escape are out of reach. Even worse, the inexplicable vacuum that renders everyone inaudible near the walls is converging in on them.
Under the cagey eye of artistic director Chris Covics, a terrific ensemble finds the emotional point within absurdist doggerel. Morry Schorr deftly takes Mr. Worthcroft from bombast to despair, while Angela Paul Stern affectingly sheds her arch, Christine Baranski-flavored persona as Mrs. Worthcroft.
Diana Wyenn and Kyle Ingleman are an ideally enervated ingenue and jangled juvenile. Craig Johnson is an intense find as bohemian Froggy. Carl Moebus brings cracked elan to Old Horace, he of the “radioactive head,” and Carol Herman’s sweet gravity as Aunt Cleobel heightens the effect of her climactic breakdown.
Covics supplies fabulous designs, his set is one of the year’s best, and costumer Shelby Janes expertly tweaks the period.
The coffeehouse ambience benefits immeasurably from the hip jazz trio -- Peter Adams (piano), Dylan Cooper (bass) and John Wicks (drums). Despite occasional blurred lines, just try to look away before “Don’t Look Now” reaches its memorable final image.
*
‘Don’t Look Now’
Where: Unknown Theater, 1110 Seward St., L.A.
When: 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, 6 p.m. Sundays
Ends: Dec. 17
Price: $25
Contact: (323) 466-7781 or www.UnknownTheater.com
Running time: 1 hour, 25 minutes
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